BreakoutSample

Day 7 - Go 

Sian Vermaut

I’m reminded as I write this of the childhood game I, and I’m sure many of you played as children; hide and seek. Those hiding would run off aiming to find the best place to disappear into, under or behind whilst the one doing the seeking would slowly (or sometimes not so slowly) count to a pre-set number and then shout ‘ready or not, here I come!’

Whether you had found the perfect tree to crouch behind or were still scrambling into your parent's closet to hide Narnia style, the seeker was coming. Time was up and they were on their way. 

Today we hear the divine echo of ‘Ready or not, here I come!’ He’s on his way. 

“The seventh time the servant reported, “A cloud as small as a man’s hand is rising from the sea.”

So Elijah said, “Go and tell Ahab, ‘Hitch up your chariot and go down before the rain stops you.’

1 Kings 18v44

Maybe you’ve woken today feeling more ready than ever. Ready to praise, ready for download, ready to give of yourself afresh. You’ve been diligent in preparing yourself, fasting, seeking His face, you’ve got your running shoes, and boy are you ready to run. God’s word says that those who knock he will open the door to. What a promise that you get to live in!

But then again maybe you don’t feel ready. You know you should’ve made space these last weeks but you didn’t, distractions came and you can’t believe it’s already the morning of the Cave. 

By God’s grace and his fresh daily mercies, you have a choice today. You can roll in and roll out as a spectator or you can choose to be a last-minute contestant in the race. If this is you take a moment to repent, but then don’t wallow, thank God for his inexplicably good grace, strap on your running shoes and seize today. 

Our church is filled with story after story of individuals colliding with God at the Cave and God transforming their lives. Let’s raise our expectations! 

Take this moment right now to empty yourself of anything that would distract from today. Give everyone and everything to God - the things worrying you, the things left unfinished, the people you’re thinking about - give it all to God and trust that today he can hold it better than you can.

Give yourself again to God, recognising that every part of who you are is made to thrive in Him. Now ask the Holy Spirit to fill you afresh with more of Him.

Ok. You’ve done that? Good, because just as Pastor G preached a few weeks back the cloud is coming and we need a filling of Holy Spirit power to chase down the promise. That time is now. It’s time to run. We’ve got to GO!

“Meanwhile, the sky grew black with clouds, the wind rose, a heavy rain started falling and Ahab rode off to Jezreel. The power of the Lord came on Elijah and, tucking his cloak into his belt, he ran ahead of Ahab all the way to Jezreel.”

1 Kings 18v45-46

Ready or not, here He comes!